


The secret of happiness is freedom

by magnusbaene



Category: Shadowhunters, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Boys In Love, Fluff, Introspection, M/M, Sexuality, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, enough suffering its time for happiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 23:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10774293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnusbaene/pseuds/magnusbaene
Summary: Hopelessly, he had watched himself move farther and farther away, his own self buried under responsibilities and obligations. A part of him had wished for someone to save him, but Magnus had never done that. He had simply reached out, taken Alec’s hand, and told him to save himself. And so Alec did.And now, as he and Magnus gazed at each other, deep longing hit him like a wave.





	The secret of happiness is freedom

> The secret to happiness is freedom. And the secret to freedom is courage. — Pericles

 

 

Voices echoed through the wide halls of the Institute. A chaotic familiarity that settled over Alec like a blanket as he watched his family bicker across the room.

Earlier, Jace and Izzy had bet on the amount of demons they could kill, and it was not surprising that they found something else the moment Alec had announced his higher score. A fond smile came to his lips as he signed the last of the papers that were left on his desk. And when he looked up again, his eyes were immediately drawn to the right.

Magnus was now standing next to Jace, telling a story in grand gestures. The light caught on his rings, his hair, illuminated him in a way that left Alec breathless. Dragging his eyes from Magnus’ hands, they trailed down his body, watched the way his shoulders swayed to the flow of his voice, the way his shirt stretched tightly over his arms, how his waistcoat accentuated his broad shoulders. Alec felt warmth creep up his chest as his eyes followed the dip of Magnus’ waist, the strong thighs that he sat on just hours ago. A prickling at the back of his neck, and Alec looked back up, hazel meeting brown. 

Magnus’ eyes were intense, molten and dripping, but there was a small smile playing at his lips, all the softness in the world channeled into one place. Alec knew that smile. Knew the feelings it brought, the safety, the love. 

He had settled into it without even noticing, the way Magnus made him feel. It had always seemed far away, unreachable, and the moment he had tried to run towards it, his bones had stuck to the floor until stagnancy turned into going backwards.

Hopelessly, he had watched himself move farther and farther away, his own self buried under responsibilities and obligations. A part of him had wished for someone to save him, but Magnus had never done that. He had simply reached out, taken Alec’s hand, and told him to save himself. And so Alec did.

And now, as he and Magnus gazed at each other, deep longing hit him like a wave.

Without preamble, he pushed his body away from the table he was leaning on, and moved forwards. Forwards, into the future, and into Magnus’ arms.

They wrapped around his waist, fingers digging into his spine, just as Alec raised his hands to Magnus’ face. His thumbs dragged against his goatee, the feeling a ripple through his body. He felt like drowning. Like taking a deep breath and letting the water fill his lungs. Resting his forehead against Magnus’, he sunk into the warmth the man brought into his life. 

“Is everything alright?” Magnus’ voice was no more than a whisper, gently filling the space they occupied. For a moment, Alec didn’t know what to say. It was impossible to put his thoughts into words, and to mold the never-ending ocean of feelings into something tangible, no matter how palpable it seemed. Consequently, Alec had to resort to the thing he knew best: The truth.

“I’m so happy,” he said, smile blooming on his face. Magnus’ hands pressed harder against his back, lips lingered at his cheek. “Being with you.. I’ve never been happier, Magnus. I’m so glad I get to have this. I’m so glad I-”

Alec broke off, struck by how right these words felt. How long he had longed to say them, and how much he wanted to right now. Magnus’ smile had stretched to his cheeks, eyes impossibly soft, all of his love shining through. For a moment, the light caught on his face, a kaleidoscope of colour dancing without restraint, and Alec felt free.

“I’m so glad I’m gay.”

Laughter was spilling out of his throat, even as he pressed his lips to Magnus’. And when they pulled apart, Magnus was shaking his head softly.

“Alexander,” he began, “All that I have experienced, the time it took to put a name to my bisexuality, it was worth it because it led me to you. And I couldn’t be happier.”

Then, they found themselves in each other’s arms. Faces buried in necks, hands caressing backs. They felt like bursting. Overflowing with all that they felt.

Draped in light, they were together, and so damn happy.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope your love will bring you more happiness than it has brought suffering.
> 
> let me know what you think, and come yell at me on my tumblr: [magnusbaene ](http://magnusbaene.tumblr.com), or my [twitter!](https://twitter.com/Maqnusbaene)❤


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